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Disney+'s new series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has brought us back to the New Republic era in a galaxy far, far away, but the show also has ties to an idea from the fan-favorite High Republic era, as well. Skeleton Crew is centered on a group of kids on the planet At Attin, who are spirited away across the galaxy by a ship they found buried outside their homes. There have already been some references to other areas of Star Wars (notably the Holiday Special), but episode 1 of Skeleton Crew had a reference to the High Republic that is enough to raise the hackles on any Star Wars book fan. (In a good way, of course.)

What is The High Republic's Great Work?

At school, Wim and Neel's class is visited by Undersecretary Fara, who informs them of the importance of the Career Assessment Test they're all scheduled to take tomorrow. Fara notes that the students' performances on the test will shape the course of their professional careers. She says that "once [they're] assigned to a career path, [they will] become part of [their] planet At Attin's contribution to the Great Work." Wim and Neel's peers then share that they would like to "contribute to the Great Work" through mundane jobs like being a "senior statistical accountant" or an "analyst." 

The term "Great Work" with its capitalized letters is one of loaded importance in Star Wars, one that was first established in High Republic novels. In the year 234 BBY during the High Republic, the Republic's Supreme Chancellor, Lina Soh, announced a series of Great Works intended to further unite their planets, celebrate the diversity of their cultures, and solidify the bonds between the Jedi and the common folk. Soh was a visionary and her ideals couldn't have come at a more important time. Less than a hundred years before she announced her Great Works, the Jedi started exploring planets in the Outer Rim of the galaxy. A feeling of "togetherness" was still quite new for so many planets of the Republic. 

So what are these "Great Works" that Soh got up to? The first was the construction of Starlight Beacon, a base on the edge of the Outer Rim where scores of Jedi were posted, ready to mobilize at a moment's notice. Starlight Beacon also represented the peace that the Jedi and Republic had managed to broker between warring planets in the Outer Rim, like Eiram and E'ronoh. Soh's other Great Work was the Republic Fair, a World's Fair-like event that brought together cultures from across the galaxy under the ethos of "we are all the Republic." It would have been a successful event had the Fair not been attacked by a group of space pirates called the Nihil. This is all very interesting because Skeleton Crew opens with a bit featuring New Republic space pirates. I'm a diehard Star Wars book fan, and I would be lying if I didn't say that part of me is hoping for some reference to the Nihil in Skeleton Crew. 

Is Skeleton Crew's At Attin not what it seems?

With this in mind, what Undersecretary Fara says about the Great Work on At Attin casts an ominous shadow over the events of the story thus far. One, the idea that children who aren't even teenagers yet are taking exams that will determine their careers and the rest of their lives feels very much at odds with the Republic ideals of Lina Soh. During the High Republic, it wasn't uncommon for Padawans to leave the Jedi if they felt that the Order was not a good fit for them. I don't recall anyone in the High Republic being shuttled into bureaucrat jobs from such a young age. I would go as far as to say that the very concept of the Career Assessment Test is rather authoritarian, much more at home with the Empire than the Republic. 

Secondly, it's clear that At Attin is very isolated from the rest of the galaxy. We don't see any ships coming to and from the planet, which is unusual in the world of Star Wars. The planet even has a "Barrier," a boundary that two safety droids in episode 2 note that starships aren't "permitted to enter or leave." It's also worth noting that the area where Wim and Neel found the ship was a "restricted" one, according to the two droids. It's clear that At Attin doesn't want its citizens, or anyone else, coming or going. 

Lastly, and perhaps most conspicuously, there are no monuments or any other references to the Jedi on At Attin. Wim is able to scroll through some slides on a primitive datapad featuring a Jedi, but he only does so when he's out of sight from his bureaucrat father. He and Neel seem to be the only kids who pretend to be Jedi on this whole planet. What's going on here? 

At Attin's foundations contradict the ethos of Lina Soh's Great Works during the High Republic. And even though Undersecretary Fara is quick to praise the Republic's ideals, it is clear that their "Republic" has little in common with the cosmopolitan freedom of the High Republic. As Wim, Neel, KB, and Fern's adventures have shown thus far, something is clearly afoot on At Attin. And it's just a matter of time before we uncover what's really going on here. 

Get to know, understand, and love the Star Wars franchise more with our Star Wars watch order, guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies & TV shows, and all the Star Wars movies and Star Wars TV shows ranked.